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Ireland: And finally . . .

THE family feud taking place at TV3 wouldn’t be out of place in Jack and Vera Duckworth’s terraced home in Coronation Street. In a plot development that has left the media enthralled, the plucky little television station has begun legal action against ITV, one of its two large shareholders. The TV3 boss, Rick Hetherington, is trying to prevent UTV and other ITV regional stations from being broadcast on Sky’s digital platform in Ireland. Flamin’ Nora! as Jack is wont to say.

ITV’s decision to go free to air on digital satellite in the UK means that Irish homes can now tune their dishes into the company’s regional channels. This circumvents an EU law that offers domestic broadcasters certain protections against satellite broadcasts from other member states.

What’s good for viewers isn’t necessarily so for TV3. It currently enjoys significant